^Bap 


St*>. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0    ^^  u& 

11.1    I'^us, 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inatituta  for  Hiatorical  Microraproductions 


Inatitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


1980 


Technical  Notes  /  Notes  techniques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Physical 
features  of  this  copy  which  may  alter  any  of  the 
images  in  the  reproduction  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  At*  possible  de  se  procurer.  Certains 
dAfauts  susceptibles  de  nuire  A  la  quality  de  la 
reproduction  sont  notAs  ci-dessous. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvertures  de  couleur 


D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


D 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


D 


Coloured  plates/ 
Planches  en  couleur 


0 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicoiories,  tacheties  ou  piqutes 


Tight  binding  (may  cause  shadows  or 
distortion  along  interior  margin)/ 
Reliure  serr*  (peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou 
de  la  distortion  le  long  de  la  marge 
int&rieure) 


D 


D 


Show  through/ 
Transparence 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 


□ 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  suppiAmentaires 


Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  bibliographiques 


D 
D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 


□      Pagination  incorrect/ 
Erreurs  de  pagination 


□      Pages  missing/ 
Des  pages  manquent 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


D 


Maps  missing/ 

Des  cartes  gtegraphiques  manquent 


D 


Plates  missing/ 

Des  planches  manquent 


D 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires 


The  images  appaaring  here  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  iagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  !n  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  AtA  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  I'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Tha  last  racordad  f  rama  on  aach  microf  icha  shall 
contain  tha  symbol  -^>  (moaning  CONTINUED"), 
or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END"),  whichavar 
applias. 


Un  daa  symbolas  suivants  apparaUra  sur  la  dar- 
nlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microfiche,  salon  le  cas: 
la  symbola  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le  symbols 
V  signifie  TIN". 


The  original  copy  was  borrowed  from,  and 
filmed  with,  the  kind  consent  of  the  following 
institution: 

Library  of  the  Public 

Archives  of  Canada 

Maps  or  plates  too  large  to  be  entirely  included 
in  one  exposure  are  filmed  beginning  in  the 
upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to  right  and  top  to 
bottom,  as  many  frames  as  required.  The 
following  diagrams  illustrate  the  method: 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  orA'^o  *  la 
g*n*rosit*  de  r6tablisaement  prfcte ur 
suivant : 

La  bibliothAqua  des  Archives 

publiques  du  Canada 

Las  cartes  ou  ies  planches  trop  grandes  pour  Atre 
reproduites  en  un  seul  clichA  sont  filmtes  i 
partir  de  I'angle  supArieure  gauche,  de  gauche  A 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Le  diagramme  suivant 
illuRtre  la  mAthode  : 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

mm 


TRADE  WITH  CANADA. 


ADDRESS 


or 


HON.  BENJ.  BUTTERWORTH, 

OF    OHIO, 


BEFORE  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  WAYS  AND  MEANS, 


MARCH    3,    1890. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PBINTINQ  OPBICB. 
1890. 


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TRADE  WITH  CANADA. 


STATEMENT  OF  HON.  BENJAMIN  BUTTERWORTH. 


The  Hon.  Benjamin  Bi-'tterworth,  Kopresentativc  from  the  State  of  Ohio,  ad- 
'dreHsed  the  comuiitteo  on  the  Hubject  of  trade  with  Canada.     He  said: 

Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen  of  the  coiniuittee:  Under  the  circumstances,  pressed 
as  yon  are  for  time,  I  feel  that  we  can  detain  yon  but  a  few  minutes.  I  desire,  how- 
ever, in  addition  to  the  statisticH  and  H^nres  I  now  submit,  to  hand  you  some  otiier 
figures  it  support  of  the  bill  "To  provide  for  adjustment  of  all  controversies  and  to 
extend  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  United  States,  and  to  provide  for  full  reciproc- 
ity between  the  United  States  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada." 

The  bill  which  I  introduced  some  time  ago  (H.  K  (>7rt),  and  in  advocacy  of  which 
I  now  appear  before  you,  has  for  its  object  the  establishment  of  unrestricted  recipro- 
cal trade  between  the  United  States  and  the  Dominion  of  Car.ada,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  settle  all  disputes  which  have  arisen  between  the  two  Governments  growing 
out  of  the  fisheries  question.  I  allude  to  the  fisheries  on  the  east  coast,  and  not  to 
the  troubles  which  have  arisen  in  regard  to  the  seal  fisheries.  It  is  proper  to  state 
in  the  first  place  that  Canada  has  as  full  power  -:,ud  authority  to  consummate  this  ar- 
rangement as  has  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Carlisle.  It  being  a  pure  natter  of  legislation  ? 

Mr.  BuTTERWORTH.  Yes,  sir;  a  pure  matter  of  legislation.  The  proposition  is  dis- 
tinctly set  forth  in  the  bill  itself,  which,  if  you  will  pardon  me  I  will  read :  ^ 

A  BILL  to  provide  for  adjustment  of  all  controversies  and  to  extend  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the 
United  Stated  and  to  provide  for  full  reoiprocity  between  the  United  States  and  toe  Dominion  of 
Canada. 

Whereas  certain  controversies  have  arisen  and  are  still  pending  between  the  Gov- 
ernmeut  of  the  United  States  and  the  Government  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  re- 
specting commercial  Intercourse;  and 

Whereas  by  reason  of  the  contiguity  of  the  two  countries  and  the  similarity  of 
the  interests  and  occupations  of  the  people  thereof,  it  is  desired  by  the  United  States 
to  remove  all  existing  controversies  and  all  causes  of  controversy  in  the  future,  and 
to  promote  and  encourage  business  and  commercial  intercourse  between  the  people 
of  both  countries,  and  to  promote  harmony  between  the  two  Governments,  and  to 
enable  the  citizens  of  each  to  trade  with  the  citizens  of  the  other  without  unneces- 
sary restrictions :  Therefore, 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  whenever,  and  as  soon  as  the  Government  of  the  Dominion 
of  Canada  shall  permit  all  articles  of  trade  and  commerce  of  whatever  name  or  nature, 
whether  the  product  of  the  soil  or  of  the  waters  of  the  United  States,  all  mauufact- 
nred  articles,  live  stock  of  all  kinds,  and  its  products,  and  all  minerals,  the  produce 
of  the  mines  of  the  United  States,  to  enter  the  ports  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  free 
of  duty,  then  all  articles  manufactured  in  Canada,  and  all  products  of  the  soil  and 
waters,  and  all  minerals  the  produce  of  the  mines  of  Canada,  and  all  other  articles  of 
every  name  and  description  produced  in  said  Dominion  of  Canada,  shall  be  permitted  to 
enter  the  ports  of  the  United  States  free  of  duty  :  Prorided,  hoicever,  That  the  pro- 
visions of  this  act  shall  not  apply  to  any  product  or  article  upon  which  an  internal- 
revenne  tax  is  imposed  by  the  laws  of  the  United  States. 

Sec.  2.  That  when  it  shall  be  certified  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  by  the 
Government  of  the  said  Dominion  of  Canada,  that  by  the  authority  of  its  Parliament 
it  has  authorized  the  admission  into  the  ports  of  said  Dominion  of  all  articles  of 
trade  and  commerce  the  growth,  produce,  or  manufacture  of  the  United  States,  free 
of  duty,  the  President  shall  make  proclamation  thereof,  and  shall  likewise  proclaim 
that  all  articles  the  growth,  produce,  or  manufacture  of  the  said  Dominion  oi  Canada 
shall  be  admitted  into  all  the  ports  of  the  United  States  free  of  duty,  and  such  arti- 
cles shall  be  so  admitted  into  the  ports  of  the  United  States  free  of  d  uty  so  long  as  the 
said  Dominion  of  Canada  shall  admit  the  products  of  the  United  States,  as  herein 
provided,  into  the  ports  of  the  Dominion  free  of  duty. 

3 


4  TRADE   WITH    CANADA. 

Sec.  3.  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  is  hereby  authorized,  with  the  approval 
of  tlie  President  of  the  United  States,  and  in  conjunction  with  the  proper  otticials  of 
the  Government  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  to  make  rules  and  regnlationH  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  into  effect  the  provisions  of  tliis  act,  and  to  protect  the  said  re- 
H{)ective  Governments  against  the  iniportatif  ii  of  foreign  good:*  or  articles  through 
either  into  the  other  without  payment  of  duty  ;  ami  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of 
the  United  States  shall  furnish  to  the  customs  otllcers  of  the  United  States  all  such 
rules  and  regulations  for  the  purpose  of  guiding  them  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties 
in  the  preniiaes. 

Skc.  4.  That  before  makinjj;  the  proclamations  or  either  of  them  authorized  by  this 
act  the  President  shall  be  satisfied  that  all  citizens  and  subjects  of  the  United  States 
may  have  and  enjoy  the  right  of  commercial  intercourse  in  all  the  ports,  harbors,  and 
places  in  Canada  with  the  citizens  and  subjects  of  the  Dominion,  in  as  full  and  am- 

Ele  a  manner  in  all  respects  as  may  be  had  or  enjoyed  by  the  latter  in  the  ports,  bar- 
ors,  and  places  of  the  United  States,  with  the  citizens  and  subjects  thereof. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  CLOSER  RELATIONS  WITH  CANADA. 

la  what  is  proposed  desirable  ?  Would  it  be  well  to  enlarge  the  trade  and  commerce 
of  our  country  f  In  this  connection  it  is  pertinent  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
ve  witness  to-day  an  exhibition  (on  the  part  of  our  Government)  of  the  expenditure 
of  large  sums  of  money,  and  a  display  of  national  hos(tital!ty,  which  is  indeed  timely 
and  worthy  of  us,  to  establish  a  trade  with  a  people  3,000  miles  away;  a  trade  that 
is  actually  lests  than  that  we  have  with  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  If  it  is  desirable  to 
establish  fuller  and  freer  commercial  relations  with  the  several  states  of  South 
America,  the  West  Indies,  and  Mexico,  it  is  of  far  greater  importance  to  establish 
similar  trade  relations  with  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  It  is  urged  by  some  who  do  not^ 
or  at  least  affect  not  to,  understand  the  ]>roposition,  and  the  influences  that  woula 
result  from  its  adoption,  that  to  establish  free  trade  relations  with  Canada,  would 
hamper  and  restrict  the  opportunities  of  our  manufacturers  and  producers.  The 
statement  is  unwarranted. 

Obviously,  to  establish  the  relation  proposed  by  the  bill  I  have  introduced,  would 
be  to  multiply  over  and  over  again  our  facilities,  and  can  anything  be  more  illogical 
or  absurd  than  to  assert  that  to  render  moi'e  ample  the  facilities  for  doing  what  i» 
desired  is  to  abridge  the  opportunity  for  doing  it.  If  this  is  so  the  rules  of  logic  must 
be  inverted,  and  wo  know  of  no  process  of  reasoning  from  known  facts  to  correct 
conclusions.  It  would  seem  more  in  accordance  with  common  sense  to  say  that  the 
multiplication  of  facilities  enlarges  the  opportunity.  Canada  is  a  vast  store-house 
of  supply,  with  natural  wealth,  boundless  in  quantity  and  almost  infinite  in  variety^ 
and  is  at  our  doors,  and  more,  is  essential  to  a  fuller  and  better  condition  of  general 
prosperity.  It  is  at  the  same  time  a  great  market  for  the  product  of  our  mills,  shops, 
and  factories,  and  not  only  that,  it  is  a  part  ot  our  home  market.  It  is,  in  fact,  our 
home  market,  and  is  also  one  of  the  natural  and  obvious  sources  of  supply. 

TRADK  WITH  CANADA  AND  SOUTH  AMERICA  COMPARED. 

It  is  quite  proper  in  this  connection,  when  speaking  of  Canada  being  our  home 
market,  to  compare  our  trade  with  the  5,000,000  of  our  kinsmen  on  the  north  of  as 
with  the  trade  we  have  with  the  51,000  000  of  people  south  of  the  Bio  Grande,  and 
with  whom  we  are  endeavoring  to  establish  unrestricted  recinrocal  trade.  I  have  the 
figures  here,  if  you  please,  carefully  collected,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  while  we 
are  straining  every  nerve  to  secure  the  least  desirable,  we  have  heretofore,  and  are 
still,  refusing  to  make  any  effort  to  obtain  the  more  desirable  arrangement  with  our 
neighbors  and  kinsuien  at  home.    But  here  is  the  showing: 

lu  the  year  1889  Canada  purchased  from  the  United  States  $55,879,192. 

South  American  states  purchased  in  the  same  year  as  follows : 

Arjrentine  Republic $6,364,545 

Bolivia 1,304 

Brazil 8,127,883 

Chili 2,069,138 

Ecuador 1,052,772 

British  Guiana 1,469, ('39 

Dutch  Guiana 239,6 '4 

French  Guiana 142,712 

Peru  722,829 

United  States  of  Colombia 6,114,941 

Uruguay 1,567,931 

Venezuela 2.871,711^ 

rj0,744,497 


Is 


Goo 
Goo 

On 


Ori 


TRADE   WITH   CANADA. 


Mexico  pnrdiaHed  from  United  HtateN  in  saiuo  yoiir  (1887) $7, 959, 557 

Central  Anittri<;an  stutes .  , 2,935,447 

BritiHli  Honduras :<54,933 

ll,'->49,y:J6 

In  the  same  year  wo  purchased  from  Mexico 14,719,840 

Amount  free  of  duty 9,928,122 

Dutiable 4,781,718 

In  1887  the  islands  purchased  as  follows  from  the  United  States: 

Cuba $10,546,411 

Porto  Rico 1,738,492 

Hayti 3,230,128 

San  Domingo 1,032,865 

British  West  Indies 6,647,204 

Danish  West  Indies 613,626 

Dutch  West  Indies 539,805 

French  West  Indies 1,352,77B 

25,701,309 
Recapitulation  of  purchases  of  foreign  countries  in  1887 : 

South  American  states $30,744,497 

Mexico 7,959,557 

Central  American  states  '.,      2,935,447 

British  Honduras 354,932 


67, 695, 744 
VALUE  OP  CANADA'S  Pt7RCHASB8  FROM  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

In  the  years  of  1883,  1884,  and  1885,  Canada  purchased  more  from  us  than  all  the 
other  countries  and  islands  on  the  western  hemisphere,  and  during  the  existence  of 
the  reciprocity  treaty,  from  1855  to  1866,  she  bought  from  us  more  than  she  sold  to 
us,  the  large  sum  of  $.59,136,256 ;  and  from  the  year  1850  to  1889,  inclusive,  a  period  of 
forty  years,  there  have  been  only  seven  years  in  which  the  balance  of  trade  has  been 
against  us  with  that  country.    In  thirty-three  years  it  has  been  in  t  ur  favor. 

Canada  is  the  only  country  on  the  western  hemisphere  which  bu/s  more  from  us 
than  they  sell  to  us,  and  in  the  aggregate,  during  1887,  the  balance  >.gainst  us  in  all 
the  above  named  countries  and  islands  outside  of  Canada  and  including  the  Hawaiian 
Islands,  amounted  to  $112,684,635. 

All  the  above  countries  and  islands  contain  about  51, 000, 000  of  inhabitants.  Can- 
ada has  only  5, 000, 000,  and  yet  she  buys  from  us  within  about  25  per  cent,  of  as  much 
AS  they  all  purchased.  If  we  include  only  the  South  American  and  Central  American 
States  and  Mexico,  she  purchases  from  us  25  per  cent,  more  than  all  of  them.  Yet,  we 
have  appropriated  thousands  of  dollars  for  the  entertainment  of  the  representatives  of 
all  these  independent  States,  whom  we  have  invited  here  to  enter  into  reciprocal 
trade  relations,  when  nearly  everything  except  sugar,  which  we  now  purchase  from 
them,  is  admitted  free.  Not  only  is  this  true,  but  upon  a  very  large  portion  of  the 
articles  which  we  purchase  from  these  countries,  and  admit  free  of  duty,  an  export 
duty  is  imposed  by  the  country  selling  them  to  us,  and  we  offer  no  retaliatory  legisla- 
tion against  it. 

Is  there  any  conceivable  reason  why  we  should  no'  offer  as  broav'.  and  liberal  trade 
measures  to  Canada,  by  concurrent  legislation,  as  we  are  seeking  to  thrust  upon  all  of 
South  and  Central  America  and  Mexico  by  a  most  hospitable  diplomacy. 

From  the  year  1850  to  1889  the  South  American  States  bought  from  ns  goods  of 
both  our  own  and  foreign  production  to  the  amount  of  $.^98, 489, 899. 

During  the  same  period  the  United  States  bought  from  South  America  goods  to  the 
e<tent  of  $1,701,0.58,329,  or  an  excess  of  our  imports  over  exports  to  these  countries  of 
$1,202,568,450. 

If  we  add  to  the  South  American  trade  tUat  of  Mexico,  Central  America,  and  the 
West  Indies,  the  amount  during  this  same  period  will  ehow  as  follows : 
Ooods  purchased  from  all  these  countries,  from  1850  to  1889,  inclusive .  $3, 756, 458, 667 
Ooods  sold  to  thom  during  the  same  period 1,60^,466,118 

Or  an  excess  of  imports  over  exports  of 2,152,990,569 

During  this  same  period  Canada  purchased  from  us  goods  to  the 

amountof 1,405,752,215 

While  we  purchased  from  them 1,153,634,303 

Or  an  excess  of  oar  exports  to  that  country  over  our  imports  from  It  of.       252, 117, 912 


TRADE   WITH   CANADA. 


THE  nALANCK  OF  TRACK. 

Here  are  51,000,000  of  people  to  the  south  ofuH  with  whom,  for  the  last  forty  yeara, 
we  have  a  balance  of  trade  nj?ain»t  iih  of  $"J,ir»a,9U0,r>0l),  and  yet  we  are  Hcokiujj  by 
every  device  known  to  «li])h>niacy,  aided  by  tl»e  HtroiiK  arm  of  the  Treatoiry,  to  fur- 
ther extend  our  trade  witli  tlit'iii,  rejiardlessof  iiuy  revenucH  tliis  tra<le  iiuiy  brinj;  to 
the  Treasury.  Here  are  5,000,000  of  people  to  the  north  of  »h  who,  for  tiio  lant  forty 
years,  have  a  balance  in  their  favor  of  $'i52,ll7,yia,  ami  yet,  instead  of  usinjj  national 
effort  to  extend  and  increaHo  our  trade  with  theiu,  we  are  sending;  out  inveHtijjating 
comniittees  to  see  if  some  injury,  real  or  imaj^inary,  can  not  be  hunted  up  or  souKht 
out,  by  virtue  of  which  we  siiali  be  enabled  to  frame  some  bill  of  indictment  aj^ainst 
them.    Can  any  fair,  broad-minded,  reanonable  man  tell  us  why  this  is  sof 

The  United  States  Is  a  gre'it  nation;  Canada  is  a  small  nation  so  far  as  numbers 
are  concerned.  Geography  and  destiny  have  decreed  that  the  two  people  shall  be 
one.  Nothing  but  parsimonious  statesmanship  will  enable  them  to  continue  as  two 
oonntries. 

Let  US  show  by  our  acts  to  these  people  that  we  are  willing  to  deal  fairly  and  lib- 
erally with  them:  at  least,  as  fairly  as  we  are  striving  to  deal  with  all  the  people 
between  us  and  the  south  pole.  Thii*  will  n!.ike  them  feel  that  it  Is  desirable  to  live 
not  only  on  good  terms  with  us,  but  to  come  in  and  be  a  part  of  us.  Starving  or  coer- 
cive measures  will  never  accomplish  this  end.  Such  policy  wholly  Ignores  the  oper- 
ations of  human  nature. 

Mr.  Flowkr.  Right  hero  let  me  ask  you  a  question.  Do  these  South  American 
products,which  come  from  these  countries,  compete  with  \r  American  farmers  in  what 
they  growf 

Mr.  BUTTERWORTH.  Some  do  and  some  do  not.  I  will  get  to  the  question  of  com- 
petition in  a  moment. 

Mr.  FLOWiiR.  Would  not  yon  get  this?  Our  manufacturers  send  to  Canada  these 
151,000,000,  and  they  ser  '  to  these  American  States  twenty  odd  millions  of  dollars. 
In  one  instance  you  are  getting  the  benefit  of  the  manufactures  at  a  point  south,  and 
in  another  instance  you  are  getting  the  benefit  at  a  point  north.  How  does  that  affect 
the  farmer  f 

Mr.  BuTTKRWORTU.  It  would  have  the  same  effect  upon  the  farmer  as  the  admission 
of  Texas  or  Kansas  into  the  Union. 

Mr.  Flower.  In  opening  3,000,000  square  acres  of  land  with  only  ouo  to  the  square 
mile  put  in  competition  with  him. 

Mr.  BUTTERWORTH.  Thore  ie  nothing  In  this  bugbear  of  destructive  competicion  on 
this  continent.  I  apeak  of  the  country  north  of  the  Rio  Grand  ,  as  my  bill  relates 
immediately  to  that.  If  there  is  anything  In  it  so  destructive,  as  some  gentlemen 
seem  to  think,  the  system  of  economy  which  nature  ordained,  which  is  of  divine 
origin,  is  not  worthy  of  respect. 
Mr.  Carlisle.  Suppose  yon  annex  Canada. 

Mr.  BUTTERWORTH.  Exactly.  I  am  coming  to  that  in  a  moment.  In  this  state- 
ment here  I  show  the  condition  of  trade  with  the  51,000,000  of  people  to  the  south  of 
ns.  Now,  we  all  agree  that  it  is  desirable  to  extend  our  territory  and  multiply  the 
facilities  of  our  people,  to  fight  the  battle  of  life  successfully  and  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  do  it,  and  that  is  what  this  bill  proposes. 

CONDITIOXS  WHEN  A  PROTECTIVE  TARIFF  HA'J  NO  OFFICE. 


Now,  what  are  the  objections  f  In  the  first  place,  it  is  well  known  to  this  committee 
that  I  am  an  earnest  Republican,  that  I  am  a  protectionist  with  somewhat  ultra  tend- 
encies, and  as  such  I  lay  down  the  proposition  on  which  I  stand,  and  on  which  I 
have  stood  aince  I  have  known  anything  of  political  economy,  that  in  the  presence 
of  eqnal  opportunity,  equal  conditions,  a  protective  tariff  has  no  proper  or  honest 
office  to  perform  and  never  had,  and  the  fathers  of  this  Republic,  and  those  who  in 
an  early  day  advocated  protection,  never  believed  it  had  and  never  so  said. 

As  between  Canada  and  the  United  States  there  is  not  a  gentleman  present  who 
does  not  know  that  from  every  stand-point  in  the  field  of  industrial  competition  we 
hold  the  'loign  of  vantage.  Now,  what  would  result  from  this  competitive  trade? 
Acroaa  the  border  and  near  by  yon  may  obtain  iron  ore  which  you  need  in  New 
England,  and  alao  coal  which  you  need.  In  fact,  there  are  variona  aupplies  of  raw 
material  just  at  hand,  but  across  the  line,  that  could  be  utilized  in  that  great  hive 
of  indnatry,  New  England. 

What  ia  the  objection  to  permitting  you  to  exchange  that  which  you  want  to  sell 
for  what  they  have  and  which  you  need  f  Why,  it  is  said  that  Canada  will  come  in 
competition  with  us  in  every  field  of  industrial  effort.  So  say  some  of  the  manu- 
faoturera.  So  aay  some  of  the  farmera.  Why,  gentlemen,  that  can  be  no  valid  objec- 
tion.   If  it  is  the  object  of  Government  merely  to  reatriot  competition,  will  you  tell  me  ■■ 


TRADE" WITH   CANADA.  ? 

whore  yon  will  begin  and  where  stop  t  Wliat  a  strange  idea  has  grown  up  among  cer- 
tain gentlemen  touching  the  power  and  duty  of  the  Government  in  tho  matter  of  re- 
stricting competition,  as  if  it  ."its  tho  oflico  of  iegJHlation  to  limit  or  doHtroy  compe- 
tition, because,  forsooth,  it  is  foiiiid  just  across  an  imaginary  line  and  without  our 
own  territory.  Tho  free-trader  innsts  that  there  shall  bo  nnrestricte<l  and  unlimited 
competition  without  regard  to  i^ 4  character  or  nature.  The  protectionist  says:  We 
cimsent  to  unlimited  conipetitiou  so  long  as  it  has  tho  condition  and  c|ualiky  of  fair- 
ness. Those  protectionists  who  maintain  that  it  is  the  proper  function  of  the  pro- 
tective policy  to  restrict,  if  not  absolutely  destroy,  all  that  competition  which  we  call 
foreign,  are,  in  my  judgment  at  least,  very  far  from  a  right  apprehension  of  the  true 
spirit  and  puiloKophy  of  protection. 

INJURIOUS  EFFECTS  OF  A  RESTRICTIVE  POLICY. 

If  it  is  well,  and  in  accordance  with  sound  economio  principlea,  to  restrict  or  prohibit 
competition,  without  regard  to  its  character  and  condition,  and  ifsnoh  restriction  re- 
sults advantageously,  prol)ably  some  learned  pundit  will  explain  to  me  why  we  should 
not  hasten  to  divide  the  United  States  into,  say,  eight  or  ten  divisions,  andlet  each  one 
establish  a  protective  tariff  as  against  the  others,  and  thus  by  narrowing  competition 
and  developing  the  resources  of  each  division  under  that  restricted  competition 
grow  rich.  Nothing  is  further  from  the  true  spirft  of  the  American  policy  than  to 
abridge  opportunity  by  limiting  facilities.  The  real  office  of  that  policy  is  to  make 
opportunity  equal,  and,  as  I  have  said  before,  make  competition  fair,  just,  and  hu- 
mane. 

I  do  not  mean  by  making  opportunity  equal  that  we  should  or  could  place  all  com- 
petition on  an  equal  footing  with  reference  to  raw  material,  source  of  supply,  equal- 
ity of  skill,  ability  among  workmen,  and  the  like ;  that  would  be  impossible,  and  the 
attempt  unjust  and  unwise;  but  to  remove  such  inequalities  as  can  be  reached  by 
legislation  without  founding  or  sustaining  monopolies. 

The  induence  of  competition  is  tho  same,  whether  it  be  on  one  side  of  an  imaginary 
line  or  the  other,  whether  it  be  in  Ohio  or  Ontario ;  but  so  long  as  the  competitors 
enjoy  equal  opportunities  nothing  is  more  healthful,  and  no  condition  could  be  more 
in  the  interest  of  the  mass  of  the  people  than  that  that  competition  should  be  unre- 
strained, whether  it  be  in  the  matter  of  production  or  in  the  matter  of  the  sale  of 
that  which  is  produced.  Why,  if  I  am  wrong  about  this,  it  must  follow  logically 
thot  the  ♦^rue  interest  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  would  be,  since  they 
possess  abundant  resources,  coal,  iron,  and  those  materials  needful  for  the  uses  and 
purposes  of  this  existence,  to  draw  a  line  around  their  territory  and  erect  a  tariff  wall 
as  against  the  other  States  of  the  Union  and  the  rest  of  the  world.  Other  sections 
could  do  the  same  with  obvious  advantage.  If  the  wiping  out  of  competition  can 
bring  prosperity  to  the  people,  and  if  this  restrictive  policy  is  sound,  the  admission 
of  Texas  into  the  Union,  the  acquisition  of  Florida  and  the  Territory  of  Louisiana 
were  grievous  blunders  on  the  part  of  our  fathers. 


BENEFITS  THAT  WOULD  RESULl"  TO  FARMERS. 

It  is  suggested  that  the  farmers  of  this  country  would  find  themselves  in  the  voo- 
ative  if  the  agricultural  products  of  Canada  were  admitted  to  the  United  States.  It 
is  difficult  to  near  with  patience  such  a  statement.  The  farmers  have  for  many  years 
been  participatiug  in  wronging  themselves.  The  idea  is,  I  suppose,  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  Government  to  create  a  famine  in  order  to  supply  a  market ;  but  aside 
from  all  that  the  experience  of  our  own  country  abundantly  proves  that  in  the  mat- 
ter of  competition  we  find  our  most  healthful  prosperity,  not  only  so  far  as  agricult- 
ure is  concerned,  but  in  every  possible  direction  and  department  of  industrial  effort. 
Any  one  who  will  study  with  care  the  statistics  of  the  development  and  growth  of 
his  conn  try  will  see  how  absurd  the  suggestion  of  danger  to  the  farmer  is. 

I  have  studied  with  care  the  objection  that  is  now  urged  against  unrestricted  re- 
ciprocal trade  between  Canada  and  the  United  States  as  viewed  from  the  stand-point 
of  supposed  dangers  which  would  threaten  agriculture  and  manufacturing  interests.  * 
The  same  objections  might  have  been  urged  years  ago  in  the  interest  of  the  wheat- 
growers  of  the  Genesee  valley.  Their  prosperity  must  have  been  destroyed  when 
the  valley  of  the  Miami  and  the  great  valley  of  the  Wabash  and  the  still  greater 
valley  of  the  Mississippi  sent  their  supplies  of  grain  into  the  market.  Bat  is  the 
Genesee  Valley  less  prosperous  or  is  the  Ohio  valley  less  prosperous  than  before 
wheat  was  grown  in  the  great  valleys  of  the  Wabash  and  the  Mississippi  T  Not  at 
all.  The  wheat-fields  have  moved  farther  west,  and  there  has  been  an  adaptation  tt 
means  to  ends  and  instrumentalities  to  the  wantii  of  the  people.  What  is  urged  in 
regard  to  agrioulture  was  seriously  suggested  as  a  fatal  olijeotion  to  anrestricted 
trade  with  Canada  by  the  mannfaotnrers  when  I  first  began  to  disonss  this  question., 


8 


TRADE   WITH  CANADA. 


IMFLVENOE  OF  COMPETITION  IK  THK  OltOWTH  OF  MANUFACTURES. 


""  I  was  at  some  pains  to  study  the  influence  of  tlio  growtli  of  competition  between 
the  sections  of  the  United  States  so  far  as  nianufaoturors  are  concerned.  I  found 
that  Ohio  and  Illinois  had  scarcely  entered  the  list  as  erent  manufacturing  States 
(competitors  of  the  East,  if  you  please)  before  the  war ;  but  it  may  be  said  of  those 
two  comparatively  young  States  that  they  suddenly  bounded  into  the  arena,  and  Ohio 

{mshed  to  the  front  and  h(»ou  became  the  third  manufaoturinp  State  in  the  Union,  and 
Uinois  was  close  by  her  side.  What  was— what  is  the  result  f  If  there  had  been 
anything  destructive  in  this  competition,  which  -seems  to  be  so  much  feared  by  our 
manufacturing  friends  in  Canada  and  the  United  States,  New  England  would  nave 
become  a  desert  and  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  would  have  been  full  of  empty 
shops  and  idle  factories.  Now,  mark  the  fact.  In  1880  those  two  States,  Ohio  and 
Illinois,  poured  into  the  reservoir  of  manufacture  supplies  more  in  value  and  quan* 
tity  than  were  produced  in  1850  by  every  State  east  of  the  Alleghenies  and  north  of 
the  Potomac ;  I  mean  all  of  New  England,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey, 
Delaware,  and  Maryland. 

I  looked  then  to  ascertain  what  the  influence  of  this  vast  addition  to  the  store- 
house of  supply  ftom  Ohio  and  Illinois  had  been  upon  the  industries  of  the  East. 
Was  there  any  evidence  of  paralysis  in  New  England,  or  in  Pennsylvania  or  New 
York  f  Were  their  industries  suffering  T  Not  at  all.  I  found  the  exact  reverse  to  be 
true,  and  tbtt  each  one  of  the  States  of  the  East  was  enjoying  a  greater  degree  of 
industrial  prosperity  than  ever  before.  I  am  askt  d  why  is  this  so  f  How  can  it  be 
sot  I  answer  first,  that  the  record  discloses  thav  it  is  so,  ai  d,  second,  that  the  de- 
mand has  multiplied  over  and  over  again  and  the  supply  hits  kept  pace  with  it.  I 
do  not  deny  that  it  Is  possible  to  overproduce,  but  it  is  true  at  the  same  time  that 
with  an  abundant  supply  we  use  vastly  more  of  everything,  even  of  bread  and  meat : 
and  it  is  also  i  rue  that  overproduction  is  vastly  less  dangerous  and  hurtful  when  it 
is  the  result  of  the  Joint  efforts  of  the  many  than  when  it  results  ttom  the  efforts  of 
the  pampered  few. 


fa 


INCREASED  FACIUTIE8  WILt  PROMOTE  COMMERCE. 


But  touching  overproduction  and  consumption,  it  will  be  observed  that  with 
increased  facilities  and  conaequent  increased  supply  we  use  not  only  that  which  is 
necessary  in  life  in  larger  measure,  but  we  add  to  that  those  things  which  increase 
our  comfort;  and,  again,  we  supplement  both  by  seeking  that  which  is  urnaniental ; 
and  whereas  *iu  the  presence  of  restricted  opportunity  and  limited  supplies  we  seek 
merely  what  is  necessary,  in  the  presence  of  multiplied  facilities  and  larger  oppor- 
tunity we  go  beyond  that  and  seek  all  those  things  which  tend  to  add  to  our  comfort  and 
increaseour  happiness,  by  obtaining  the  luxuriesof  life ;  I  mean  not  those  things  which 
are  evidences  of  mere  extravagance,  but  that  which  tends  to  cultivate  the  ideal,  the 
beautiful ;  that  which  pleaHes  the  eye  and  ear  and  tends  to  cultivate,  retine,  and  en- 
noble mankind.  Multiplied  opportunities  m  what  we  desire  in  thislife.  I  may  repeat 
again:  If  there  was  any  thing  so  disastrous  in  the  mere  matter  of  competition  New 
York  would  to-day  stand  as  a  witness  of  the  fact,  and  a  solemn  warning  of  the  dan- 

f^ers  that  result  from  the  influence  of  competition.    But  what  do  we  see  T    Why  the 
ndustrial  pursuits  which  were  a  source  of  immense  revenue,  which  were  at  one  time 
in  that  State  its  main  stay,  found  her  grandest  opportunity  and  unexampled  pros- 

!>erity  in  the  very  corapetition  deprecated  by  so  many  persons.  When  we  pass  the 
ine  of  needled  protection  we  enter  the  domain  of  odious  subsidies,  of  bonuses,  the  in- 
fluence of  which  would  be  partial  and  unjust,  a  forced  tax  on  the  many  for  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  few.    This  would  be  plunder,  not  protection. 

Now,  as  my  friend  Mr.  Carlisle  has  suggested,  suppose  Canada  had  been  a  part  of  the 
Federal  Union,  and  she  came  near  it,  for  had  it  not  been  for  a  little  clause  in  the 
treaty  of  1763  between  England  and  France,  by  which  certain  religious  privileges 
were  secured  to  the  French  citizens  of  Canada,  the  Dominion  to-day  would  nave  been 
a  part  of  this  Federal  Union.  And  suppose  it  had  been,  will  anybody  pretend  to  say 
that  we  would  hav  offered  by  reason  thereof,  or  that  we  would  not  have  been  richer, 
our  opportunities  1.  „'er  by  great  odds,  than  we  are  to-day  t  If  not,  on  whatpretensa 
did  we  acquire  Louisana  and  Florida  and  Texas,  at  the  cost  of  blood  and  treasure  f 
And  what  prompted  the  statesmen  of  our  day  to  purchase  Alaska  f  Certainly  nobody 
would  claim  that  we  were  suffering  from  competition  north  of  the  line  which  divides 
ns  from  the  Dominion  if  that  northern  section  only  formed  a  part  of  the  Federal  Union. 
Bat  it  is  said  tJiat  Canada  would  derive  advantages  which  Texas  does  not,  be- 
oanse  Texas  contributes  to  the  support  of  our  Government  while  Canada  does  not. 
If  that  had  anything  to  do  with  the  question,  which  it  has  not,  it  would  besuflBoient 
to  say  that  the  Fe^ral  Qovemment  pays  out  for  thebenefit  of  Texas  |3  for  every 
dime  she  raises  from  that  State,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  many  of  the  States  and 


TRADE   WITH   CANADA. 


9 


Territories.    I  am  anrprised  1 1  flml  tlint  sonie  persons  are  diatarbed  beanae  Canada 
will  derive  aoine  advantage  fVoin  tlio  prnpoHed  arrangement. 

Mr.  Carliblr.  If  the  trade  bctw  len  the  United  Btatea  and  Canada  !a  beneficial  to 
the  United  States,  vrhy  should  we  complain  if  it  iaalso  beuefloial  to  Canada  f 


PARTISANSHIP  VS.  STATESMANSHIP. 

Mr.  BuTTERWORTH.  We  should  not;  but  the  trouble  is,  Mr.  Carlisle,  that  partisan 

Jiolitica  rather  than  Htatesmansbin  may  guide  in  this  matter.  There  are  a  few  manu- 
actnrers,  who  would  supproas  all  competition  at  home  as  well  as  abroad  if  they 
oould,  who  are  potential  in  certain  CongresHional  districts  along  the  border.  These, 
Joined  with  a  handful  of  tishermen  and  farmers  near  the  line,  and  holding  in  some 
measure  the  balance  of  power,  could  control  the  economic  policy  of  a  nation,  and  are 
potent  to  shape  the  destiny  of  sixty  millions  of  people.  We  must  cut  loos<^  from  mere 
partisan  politics  and  local  selfishness  in  dealing  with  questions  of  this  character,  and 
appeal  to  broad  Htatesmanship,  whioh  solves  problems  of  state,  not  merely  for  the 
approaching  fall  election,  but  for  the  century,  and  for  the  paramount  and  lasting 
good  of  the  whole  people. 

How  little  our  people  know  of  Canada  and  her  exhaustless  resonrcea.  There  ia  not 
«  river  in  Canada,  nor  a  lake  along  our  border,  nor  a  mountain  range,  nor  any  natural 
highway  of  commerce  that  does  not  plead  for  unfettered  commerce  between  the  two 
nationa.  United  aa  we  are  indissolubly  by  .race,  language,  traditions,  similarity  of 
institutions ;  separated  only  by  an  arbitrary  imaginary  boundary  line,  irregular  in 
its  course ;  with  Canadian  territory  running  down  .'iOO  miles  into  the  heart  of  the 
Republic,  and  the  Unit«d  States  territory  extending  up  on  the  east  and  west  so  as  to 
alnioNt  incloae  the  main  part  of  Canada;  with  our  great  lines  of  transcontinental 
commerce  running  througn  the  Dominion,  and  in  turn  their  lines  of  transcontinental 
commerce  running  through  the  United  States ;  with  the  natural  produota  of  each 
country  supplementing  those  of  the  other;  with  vast  quantities  of  ores  ana 
fnel  Just  across  the  border,  which  the  furnaces  and  mills  of  New  England  re< 
quire,  and  per  contra,  a  demand  in  (Canada  for  what  New  England  produces.  I 
assert  without  hesitation  that  the  evidence  at  the  command  of  the  committee 
and  the  House  can  leave  uo  doubt  that  the  present  controversy  about  the  fisheries 
and  hampering  trade  restrictions  between  the  United  States  and  the  Dominion  of 
Canada  are  the  result  of  the  efibrts  of  a  few  individuals  iu  one  locality  and  the 
selfishness  and  avarice  of  a  few  individuals  in  another  locality,  all  supplemented  by 
ignorance  ou  the  part  of  the  multitude  uf  the  r^al  ioterests  at  stake.  It  is  interesting 
to  observe  a  Yankee  commanding  a  fishing-smack  manned  almost  exclusively  by 
Nova  Scotians  but  carrying;  the  American  Flag,  and  crying  out  for  the  better  protec- 
tion of  American  (T)  fishermen.  And  we  are  urged  to  "protect  the  fishing  interest 
because  our  fisheries  are  the  nursery  of  American  (f)  seamen."  No  greater  folly  has 
been  commited  against  the  rights  of  the  American  people  than  our  persistent  mainte- 
nance of  a  controversy  about  the  fisheries.  Every  cod-fish  ball  or  piece  of  salt  mack- 
erel has  been  doulded  in  the  matter  of  cost  to  the  consumer  iu  this  country  ou  the 
fdea  that  we  were  maintaining  a  nursery  of  American  seamen  ;  that  American  fishing 
nterests  would  snffer  in  the  presence  of  unrestricted  reciprocal  trade  in  that  bebau 
between  ourselves  and  Canada;  and  yet  the  fish  we  buy  are  caught  in  the  main  by 
Canadians  or  Nova  Scotians,  which  is  the  same  thing,  iu  the  employ  of  American 
capitalists. 

PRODUCTS  OF  THE  FOREST  AND  MINE. 

The  same  ridiculous  and  absurd  management  has  characterized  our  course  in  the 
matter  of  levying  a  duty  upon  logs  and  lumber  to  protect  an  American  industry. 
Nothing  can  be  more  shocking  to  every  jnst  principle  of  protection  than  our  course  in 
regard  to  tbe  forests.  The  idea  of  protection  is  to  multiply  and  develop  the  industries 
protected,  and  yet  every  man  must  see  that  the  more  our  forests  are  protected  the 
sooner  they  perish  and  disappear  from  the  face  of  tbe  earth.  There  is  an  idea  alao 
that  it  is  unpatriotic  to  buy  coal  which  is  dug  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth  anj- 
where  except  within  the  United  States.  an4  all  this  pretense  is  said  to  be  in  the 
intere  t  of  American  industry  and  American  labor ;  and  yet,  if  you  will  go  down  into 
the  coal  mines  in  some  localities  it  will  take  a  search  warrant  to  find  a  man  that  can 
talk  tbe  English  language  or  has  any  knowledge  of  or  conscious  sympathy  with  oar 
constitutional  Qovernment.  In  one  part  of  the  country  we  will  find  Chinamen  em> 
ployed,  in  another  part  unnaturalized  Poles  and  Huns  and  Sicilians,  and  all  this  oa 
the  false  prritense  that  we  are  protecting  American  labor. 

The  same  thing  may  be  said  in  regard  to  our  copper  minea.  To-day,  or  certainly  an* 
til  recently,  our  own  citizens  were  compelled  t  jpay  more  for  American  copper  than  tbe 
citizens  of  any  other  nation  on  the  earth  ^ere  asked  to  pay  for  oopper  taken  from 
American  mines ;  and  we  have  upheld  and  continue  to  uphold  that  grasping  monop- 


10 


TRADE   WITH  CANADA. 


oly,  on  the  false  assumption  that  in  some  way  it  innred  to  the  advantage  of  the  peo- 
ple at  large ;  and  this  we  did,  although  a  rich  abundance  of  ore,  belonging  possibly  to 
the  same  lead,  just  across  an  imaginary  line  from  the  United  States  oi)°er«>d  a  snpply 
that  would  have  prevented  extortion.  The  same  thing  has  been  true  of  nickel,  and 
in  a  large  measure  true  of  sugar.  The  fact  is  that  we  overlook  the  larger  interest  at 
stake,  which  involves  the  rights  and  interests  of  sixty  millions  of  people ;  for  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  where  one  single  dollar  is  needlessly  taken  in  the  shape  of  taxes, 
no  matter  now  or  where,  it  becomes  in  a  degree  a  drain,  a  constant  druin,  npon  the 
pocket  of  every  man  in  the  country.  The  consumer  is  the  man  who  pays  the  taxes, 
and  John  Smith,  who  gets  $1.50  a  day,  consumes  as  much  of  certain  articles  as  John 
Brown,  who  may  have  an  income  of  as  many  dollars  an  hour. 


I''' 


ABUSB^OV  THE  PROTECTIVE  SYSTEM. 

I  speak  of  these  things,  Mr.  Chairman,  because  I  believe  that  the  restrictionn  that 
are  put  npon  trade  in  certain  direqtions  have  not  had,  nor  were  they  in  every  case 
by  those  who  advocated  their  imposition  intended  to  have,  in  view  the  interests  of 
all  the  people,  unless  by  the  people  we  mean  the  few  favored  individuals.  He  is  an 
enemy  of  the  protective  system  who  would  use  it  merely  to  arbitrarily  suppress  com- 
petition. Its  aid  was  never  invoked  by  the  fathers  for  such  a  purpose,  and  such 
abuse  of  the  principle  will  insure  its  speedy  overthrow.  I  am  justified  in  adopting^ 
this  view  and  employing  this  language  not  only  from  facts  that  are  obvious  to  all  of 
ns,  but  for  the  reason  that  this  was  tbe  view  of  those  whom  we  are  accustomed  to 
call  the  fathers,  whose  patriotism  was  not  donbteJ.  and  whose  political  sagacity  has- 
not  been  seriously  called  into  question.  What  is  here  proposed  by  the  bill  I  have 
introduced  found  favor  with  such  patriots  as  John  Quincy  Adams,  Abraham  Lincoln^ 
Bobert  C.  Winthrop,  John  J.  Crittenden,  Robert  C.  Sohenck,  Ruf  us  Choate,  and  men 
of  their  day  and  generation.  In  lt^48  a  bill,  in  every  respect  on  all  fours  with  tbe  one 
I  have  introduced,  passed  the  House  of  Representatives,  of  which  Robert  C.  Win- 
throp was  Speaker,  without  a  dissenting  vote,  so  obvious  were  the  advantages  that 
would  result  from  the  adoption  of  the  measure.  That  House  was  composed  of  107 
Democrats  and  117  Whigs  if  my  memory  serves  me  correctly ;  however,  tbe  record 
will  disclose.  The  bill  was  briefly  discussed  in  the  Senate,  and  there  a  question  arose 
as  to  whether  individual  interests  might  not  suffer  if  the  multitude  was  blessed  by 
the  adoption  of  the  measure,  and  the  concern  of  some  seemed  to  be  for  the  tew  as 
against  the  many.  However,  before  final  action  was  taken  in  the  Senate  the  session 
reached  its  close. 

Very  soon  thereafter  an  arrangement  less  advantageous  to  the  United  States  was 
made,  and  was  known  as  the  reciprocity  measure  of  1854,  which  continued  in  force 
until  1066.  A  great  hue  and  cry  has  been  raised  against  the  operatioi;  of  that  treaty, 
it  being  asserted  that  the  United  States  was  the  loser.  The  outcry  had  less  of  patriot- 
ism than  selfishness  in  it.  The  record  discloses  how  utterly  unfounded  it  was.  It 
was  raised  in  the  interest  of  selfishness  and  continued  in  the  same  interest.  So  far 
ikvm  the  balance  of  trade  being  against  us  under  that  treaty,  the  balance-sheet  shows 
that  it  was  in  our  favor  about  (^,000,000,  and  it  would  have  been  enlarged  but  for 
the  unfortunate  occurrence  of  the  war.  I  submit  that  the  patriotism  of  General 
Grant  has  not  been  called  into  question,  and  he  proved  himself  not  only  a  soldier,  but 
a  statesman.  Aided  by  his  able  Secretary,  Mr.  Fish,  he  neeotiated  a  treaty  with 
tbe  Dominion  of  Canada,  the  Hon.  Qeorge  Brown  and  Sir  Edward  Thornton  acting 
for  the  Dominion,  which  had  for  its  object  all  that  is  i>roposed  in  the  bill  yon  have 
under  consideration.  It  evinced  a  spirit  of  true  patriotism  and  broad  statesmanship. 
It  provided  for  opening  up  certain  channels  and  arteries  of  trade,  so  that  our  com- 
merce misht  be  not  only  unfettered  so  far  as  law  is  concerned,  but  might  have  its 
natural  hishways,  such  as  rivers,  lakes,  and  canals  improved  in  the  interest  of  the  peo- 
ple on  both  sides  of  the  line.  This  treaty,  which  was  indeed  worthy  of  the  great 
man  who  negotiated  it,  reached  the  Senate  too  late  for  action.  But  still  it  is  proper 
to  say  that  that  action  was  delayed  by  those  who  represented  individual  interests  in 
certain  localities  rather  than  the  larger  interests  of  the  whole  people. 


OBJXcnoNB  TO  RiciPROcrrr  cokstdbrkd. 

It  will  be  urged,  of  course,  and  is,  that  tbe  arrangement  could  not  be  practically 
oarried  out  with  Cai  ada.  Tbatit  in  fact  would  open  up  a  highway  for  English  goods 
to  the  markets  of  tb<  United  States.  This  objection  originates  in  ignorance,  or  else  is 
not  offered  in  sincerity.  Gentlemen  that  know  anything  about  it  must  admit  that 
Canada  mnst  have  it^venne.  Her  tariff  schedule  is  now  about  on  ^he  same  plane  as 
our  own,  and  wonld  certainly  not  be  lowered.  It  is  far  more  likely  that  ours  will  be 
lowered  than  that  she  will  scale  her  tariff.  With  access  to  our  markets,  Canada 
wonld  pnrcbase  of  ns  what  she  now  purchases  in  the  main  firom  the  Old  World ;  she 
would  bSTe  erery  reason  wbicb  self-interest  and  honorable  ooudaot  would  prompt  to 


fon 
tha 
do 


TRADE  WITH  CANADA. 


11 


protect  her  revennes,  and  it  would  be  a  brave  man  who  would  run  the  gauntlet  of  the 
Canadian  custom- bo  uses  and  then  the  gauntlet  of  the  American  custom-houses  to  get 
any  advantage  that  could  be  derived  from  the  difference  between  the  value  of  the 
articles  in  Canada  and  the  United  States.  The  bill  relates  solely  to  articles  grown, 
munnfactured,  and  produced  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  as  the  case  may  be. 

There  is  positively  no  danger  on  the  score  suggested.  It  might  not  be  amiss  to 
call  attention  to  the  fact  just  here  that  the  gentlemen  who  discovered  such  danger 
where  there  is  none  are  utterly  unable  to  find  themselves  apprehensive  as  to  a  simi- 
lar result  in  the  case  of  unrestricted  reciprocity  of  trade  between  the  States  of  South 
America,  the  West  Indies,  Mexico,  and  the  United  States.  It  is  said,  "If  Canada 
wants  to  share  the  advantages  of  our  commerce  and  trade,  let  her  come  into  the  Fed- 
eral Union."  Very  well,  she  would  do  well  to  come,  but  we  need  not  refuse  present 
obvious  advantages,  because  the  Dominion  is  not  so  situated  at  this  time  as  to  avail 
herself  of  a  larger  advantage  which  she  would  find  in  becoming  a  part  of  the  Federal 
Union.  The  idea  of  starving  Canada,  as  some  propose,  into  an  assimilation  with  us 
is  not  the  suggestion  of  statesmanship  nor  in  harmony  with  the  civilization  of  the 
age;  nor  is  it  calculated  to  induce  the  pleasant  condition  of  things  that  the  gentle- 
men desire. 

DANGERS  THAT  THREATBN  PROTECTION. 

When  we  shall  become  one  commercially,  by  reason  of  unrestricted  trade  and  com- 
merce, and  our  Canadian  kinsmen  shall  pitch  their  tents  with  us,  and  thousands  of 
our  people,  millions  if  it  comes  to  that,  shall  find  advantageous  opportunities  across 
the  border,  we  will  be  practically  one  people  for  all  the  proper  purposes  of  this  life. 
And  when  the  time  shall  come  and  an  attempt  be  made  to  tear  us  asunder  that  attempt 
will  be  futile.  I  insist  as  a  Republican  and  a  protectionist,  that  if  the  narrow- 
^auge  policy  suggested  by  some  distinguished  gentlemen  is  adhered  to,  the  protect- 
ive wall  all  around  the  United  States  will  be  thrown  down,  except  for  purposes  of 
revenue,  and  we  will  be  brought  to  a  realizing  sense  that  the  protective  system  is  to 
impart  the  quality  of  fairness  and  humanity  to  competition,  and  not  to  destroy  it  in 
the  intereHt  of  combined  and  aggregated  wealth.  Unfortunately,  as  the  world  goes, 
Congress  is  not  likely  to  take  an  affirmative  action  on  any  given  proposition  until  the 
wild  clamor  from  the  people  in  its  favor  fairly  lifts  members  from  their  feet,  and  then 
tht>  sound  must  be  absolutely  certain  and  clear  before  they  will  consent  to  act. 

Gentlemen  will  discover  before  our  party  is  many  years  older  that  we  are  fast  run- 
ning upon  the  rocks  by  continuing  to  abuse  a  policy  wise  in  itself,  but  which  may  be 
so  persecuted  as  to  be  condemned  by  three-fourths  of  the  people  who  thoroughly  un- 
derstand it.  I  insist  and  shall  continue  to  insist  that  the  policy  which  has  sole  ref- 
erence to  certain  conditions,  which  impart  to  the  competition  where  tLose  conditions 
exist  the  leaven  of  injustice,  inequality,  and  inhumanity  shall  not  be  applied  where 
those  conditions  are  not  found.  Nor  am  I  for  one  content  to  remain  deaf  and  silent 
in  thd  midst  of  this  conflict,  awaiting  for  favorable  winds  to  blow  me  to  a  harbor  of 
political  rest,  setting  my  sails  after  the  current  of  the  trade-winds  has  become  ob- 
vious and  their  course  and  force  manifest. 

NO  REASONS  FOR  BESTRIOTINO  COMMERCE. 

In  conclusion,  I  submit  that  there  is  no  reason  known  to  sound,  economic  prinoiplee 
which  should  delti  y  the  passage  of  this  bill  or  one  similar  to  it  in  its  provisions :  that 
there  is  no  sound,  economic  reason  for  abridging  our  trade  with  Canada,  restricting 
our  facilities,  and  thus  narrowing  the  opportunities  of  our  people.  Whether  or  not 
in  the  presence  of  our  ability  to  produce  we  have  supplies  beyond  what  is  required 
has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case  except  to  suggest  the  necessity  of  more  room  and 
broader  opportunity  as  a  result  of  multiplied  facilities. 

The  United  States  has  found  its  safety  less  in  the  devotion  of  its  present  population 
to  our  institutions  than  in  its  broad  acres  and  the  resulting  freedom  nom  attri- 
tion in  the  many  conflicts  of  interest  incident  to  this  life.  If  unrestricted  com- 
merce is  good  for  half  the  continent,  it  is  good  for  all  of  it.  I  do  not  stop  to 
consider  the  question  as  it  relates  to  Mexico,  and  the  South  American  States; 
those  are  questions  apart.  I  may  sny,  however,  that  Mexico  could  not  enter  inta 
such  an  arrangement,  for  it  would  absolutely  destroy  her  revenues;  and  this  is  the 
testimony  of  her  representative  men  who  are  here  to  speak  for  her.  Nor  is  thftt  all, 
there  is  a  difference  of  race,  language,  and  institutions.  However,  Vhen  those  qnee* 
tious  come  up,  I  am  quite  ready  in  the  spirit  of  fairness  to  consider  them.  I  hope 
this  committee  will  report  this  bill  before  the  House,  with  or  without  recommena»* 
tion,  as  they  may  deem  best.  I  have  spoken  with  some  plainness,  because  I  have 
found  nothing  else  will  do.  To  stick  in  the  bark  of  the  question  has  no  other  result 
than  t<i  kill  time  and  offer  opportunity  for  rhetorioal  exercise,  and  I  do  not  desire  to- 
do  the  one  nor  participate  in  tne  other. 


